The best book club novels are the ones that raise thoughtful questions, spark debate, have flawed, memorable characters, and make readers see things differently. Joanna Cannon – bestselling author of novels including The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, Three Things About Elsie, and her latest, An Unlikely Visitor – is one of those writers who does just that. But what are the reads she would take to a book club herself? Here, she shares her five favourites.
Love Lane by Patrick Gale
“I’m sure many book clubs will have already discussed Patrick Gale’s wonderful A Place Called Winter. Love Lane is a continuation of that story, as we join Canadian wheat farmer Harry Cane on his return to England, to be reunited with the family he abandoned many decades earlier. I think Patrick Gale is one of the greatest writers we have in the UK and his books always live on my Favourites Shelf.
“Here, he writes beautifully about post-war Britain, and the many challenges – and prejudices – faced by a population still coming to terms with its losses. Belonging, identity and what home really means are rich themes in this story, and as always, Gale writes with humour, poignancy and incredible insight.”
Tinder Press, £20
